The 14th Annual Hunger Games SYOT
by Hungergames2002
Summary: A Hunger games form the early days before Peeta or Katniss were even born. With new tributes and a new arena there are many mysteries, some that even the capital doesn't know. Who will make it out alive? SYOT OPEN 21/24 I CANT UPDATE RIGHT NOW! THERE IS SOME KIND OF ERROR THAT IS MAKING IT SO I CAN'T ADD TO THE STORY
1. Intro and Instructions

The 14th Annual Hunger Games

A SYOT Hunger Games Fanfiction

This is my first SYOT and first fanfiction so please don't be too harsh. You MUST submit your characters through PM and not review. I will try to write 4 chapters a week but no promises. If you doubt my writing skills I will include a small paragraph at the bottom of the page that you can analyze before deciding whether you want to submit your tributes to me. (Anything not underlined will be optional in character details.) Also, all my writing will be first person. Since that's all the details, without further ado, let the 14th annual Hunger Games begin!

**Basic**

Name:

Gender:

Age:

District:

Career

Personality (be detailed or I won't be able to use your character):

**Appearance**

Race:

Hair color:

Hair Style:

Eye color:

Skin tone:

Height:

Weight:

Extra:

Family

Friends

**Reaping**

Reaping Outfit:

Reaping Emotions

Volunteered (Why) or Reaped;

**Pre-Game**

Chariot Outfit:

Chariot Angle (how they act);

Interview Outfit:

Interview angel:

Training angel (act weak, show off?):

What skills they practice and are good at:

Weapon of choice (for training):

Possible training score:

**Games**

Bloodbath tribute (if none are chosen I will chose randomly):

Weapon on choice (during games)

Cornucopia strategy:

Cornucopia Item gotten:

Sponsors y/n:

Alleys y/n:

If yes with what kind of people:

Games Strategy (detailed):

Advantages/Strengths:

Disadvantages/Weaknesses:

**Writing Sample**

Even though it started at sixty seconds, a whole minute, the robotic timer's voice echoing through the arena seemed to only last for the blink of an eye "_Ten. nine, eight, seven," _I bite my lip in anticipation "_six, five, four, three, two, one_ " I bolt in to the woods, the steady beat of my feet hammering on the forest floor. Something that should seem natural suddenly felt award and made me unsteady, but I didn't stop. I wouldn't stop. I could _not _stop, because this was a game of life of death, and to stop would mean the latter.

A/N: if your looking for news on my story, point system, polls etc then check my profile (I suggest you follow me if you want to be fully involved in manipulating and changing the games because all the dissuasions of who will die, who will get sponsors (if there creater said they can get getting them), who will do well in training, in the chariot parade (which is what is being voted on currently),who will do well in the interview others is being elected through polls, any for of pleading will not work in this case so it can be fair


	2. Tribute List and Point System

**Male:Tribute List and Point System**

District 1:

Male:Coltan Berry (18)

He isn't very friendly and keeps to himself but is also ambitious

Female:Rachel Sarfati (18)

She is very flirty and conceited but sneaky and cheated on Coltan's brother with him.

District 2:

Male: reserved

Female: Blue Wynne (17)

Blue was raised to be a hunger games victor so naturally she was abused

and mistreated starting at a very young age to develop a brutal personality

District 3

Male: Benjamin 'Benji' Jerome (16)

Benji is a introvert. He is very intelligent, one of the top minds in district 3. Because of his intelligence he is very sarcastic and has little patience for stupid people

Female: Ellen Oakwood (14)

She witty smart and a fast thinker but has a sarcastic streak. Ellen is extroverted and friendly but these traits are balanced by her intelligence making her a dangerous tribute and a a interesting person

District 4

Male: Alexander 'Xander' Cresta

Xander is very quiet and shy, and tends to try and stay out of the way, not wanting any attention. However is indelibly protective and while do any thing for his friends and family.

Female: Amadashy 'Maddie' De Mare

Maddie is a cheerful fun-loving girl who would honestly rather give free makeovers to everyone in Panem then enter the Hunger Games and kill people, but thats whats expected of her. She secretly lacks confidents.

District 5

Male: Gavin Riley Anderson (16)

he is friendly and loving towards his family but is easily frightened and when he is becomes introverted because of a personality disorder.

Female:

District 6

Male:Garfield 'Gars' Stuart (17)

he is a mentally challenged schitzofrenic boy. When he is normal he is very quiet and likes to tinker with any bit of metal he finds (or can pull out of things).

Female:Dahlia Deneé

She is sarcastic, defiant and very stubborn. She hates most people (especially that capitol citizens) and is oftencalled a b***h but takes it as a complement

District 7

Male:Aron Low

Practical and extroversive, but prone to feeling inadequate

Female: Jamie Lynn (13)

Jamie is poor, a bit of a tom boy and very adventures. her mother committed suicide out of stress when she was falsely accused of starting a rebellion making her more determined to win the games then normal.

District 8

Male: Lander Vassel 'The Patchwork'

He is a murder who cares only for himself. He kills any one who gets in his way and at age 15 killed his own parents. He believes everyone is lower then him and treats them like worms. He gets a rush from watching the life leave a persons body

Female:Belle Shea

She is very upbeat and optimistic but lives in the poor part of her district so is always standing out. She never goes down with out a fight and often finds herself in trouble

Distirict 9

Male: Farrell Hyland (17)

He is awkward but once you get to know him he is funny, kind, sarcastic and caring

Female:

District 10

Male:Eero Pyrmont (13)

Very defensive and stubborn. He is often said to be like a tree, un-moveable and hard.

Female: Faye Woodenson(17)

Faye is best described as a loose firecracker. Her temper is uncontrollableand a wisecrack against her friends family or district will set her off

District 11

Male: Iance Platinum (16)

he is disciplined, respectful and patent. He has been taught that giving the careers at tast of there own medicine by training in secret is not for the good of his family but for his district

Female: Rayne Navaeh

She's always had a lot of responsibility and is loud and out spoken from years of of ordering her 5 younger siblings around

District 12

Male:Angus Burnet (17)

He is selfless and kind hearted but sufferswith temper problems and mental break downs

Female:Lissy Anderson

She almost never talks and when she does tends to judge people before getting to know them

**Point System**

The way this point/sponsor system will work is simple. Each person has 25 points to start with. If you submitted a tribute you have 50 and if you have multiple tributes you have 60. You can gain more points by writing reviews which will make 5 points for a simple one and 10 for a complex one, you can contribute a idea and if I don't use it it will be worth 5 points but if I do it will be worth 20 (you can submit up to 5 ideas), if you favourite or follow me its worth 30 point (for each) and if you favourite or follow my story is 15. With you points you can buy:

-small food 10

-large food 20

-small medicine 15

-Large/effective medicine 30

-small water 5

-large water 10

-small weapon (knife, sling sot etc) 25

-weapon (sword, bow, throwing knifes, spear etc) 40

-special weapon (anything with special properties such as flame, powered, electrical devise) 100

-Backpack starts at base price of 20 but goes up depending on what you add (each item listed below costs 10 if left blank). Some items that can be sent in a backpack or alone (but will +5 if alone) are:

-Iodine

-rope

-water bottle

-matches

-camouflage tools 20

-other (price debatable)

**WARNING**: not all special wepeon requests can be used. Anything over powered like a mec-suit, bomber plane or other vehicles will be denied.

EverlarkCato4ever: 80

Stronger123:190

EmuFrost: 65

ccoltonn:95

Aleksandryna-Zinnaella:105

MortisRose: 80

Wyvvern:65

grimbutnotalways: 155

simplisticminds: 140

ArtyLou: 80

Hungergames922: 85

The Fabulous Potage: 65

Prey There's There's No God: 165

Doctor-who-guy-13: 85

**You can only sponsor a tribute you made 3 times. After you can sponsor other tributes 5 times.**


	3. Interview: Gamemaker Burdock Balderack

**The Games**

Capitol: Burdock Ballderwrack

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, Burdock Ballderwrack!" The crowd bursts into uncontrollable applause as I step out from the glittery purple curtain. I flash a crooked smile and run my hand through my greased back hair, pushing back the loose strands of night black tendrils. I ease myself back into the round white chair, identical to Sage's, the over enthusiastic host for pretty much anything that happened in Panem.

"So tell use Burdock" he says flashing a winning smile " what are your plans for this years tributes?' I gave him a light chuckle

"Come now Sage, you of all people should know I'm not allowed to tell you. After all, some of our viewers might be this years tributes." He gave me a pouting face

"Please just a hint?' the audience yelled and cheered in agreement.

"Alright, alright" I said trying to calm the restless audience and again flash that crooked, winning smile "I know that this isn't a quell, so it won't be a big twist, but this year the cornucopia _won't _be the only place to get weapons." I let that hang in the air, let it sink in as the audience waits for me to continue expectantly, but I won't tell them more. I'll let them feast on that, spread rumors and gossip and then, when the games begin I'll tell them and let the tributes figure it out themselves.

A/N: sorry this is really short but I'm having writers block on the chapter I'm working on and I'm also very busy because off the holidays so I just wrote this to make up for the long wait and to see if anyone can guess what Burdock means (PM me if you think you know and if you get it right you can get 20 points)


	4. Reaping: Blue Wynn

**District 2**

Female: Blue Wynne

My eyes shoot open and in an instant I am sitting up sweating and panting. I just dreamt my worse nightmare both literally and figuratively. Now that I am awake I can think more rationally but the mere idea of it still haunts me. I dreamt that I was a year older, 18 not 17. When your 18 it's the last year you can be reaped. I didn't volunteer. Ever though it's just a dream I count myself lucky that I woke up before my parents confronted me. My oldest brother was disowned when he didn't volunteer. He was 7 when the games were introduced, I was 3 and my only other sibling alive at the time, Faux was 1. It was at that age they started mistreating us. My parents saw the games as a chance for fame, glory and riches but being too old to enter themselves they put all of us in a special academy for combat and survival so we one day could volunteer as tribute. No, not could, _would_, that's why I am so scared of what would happen to me if I don't volunteer.

Outside my room I can hear my younger siblings running around and getting ready for the day. I realize I should probably join them or I will be late for what now substitutes for school, training. I start putting a full body, grey, skintight suit over my defined and muscular body. Training will be cut short today but I might as well get what I can. The reaping starts at 2:00 and I want to be prepared so I'll stop 2 hours early and not 1.I look at myself in the mirror. My bright blue eyes for which I was named shine back at me. Even though it's not a amazing name I'm still thankful that I wasn't named after my hair which is brown. That was sarcasm of course. I've learned to live with a name like Blue and really don't mind it.

Outside my room I find Maya who's 9 and Gaunt who's 10 fighting over a toy. I ignore them and move on. There just kids. In front of my house I can hear the sound of miners talking and having breakfast, piercing the otherwise silent morning. The paved road of District 2 winds in front of me, lined by festive shops with reaping discount signs. Ahead of me a can see a large fenced of area that looks somewhat like a playground, or so they tell me. I've never been to any kind of children's recreational area, another pleasantry my parents denied me. I swing the shiny fence gate open and enter the training facility.

"Hey Blue!" I hear someone call. It's my friend Arya dangling from some equipment accompanied by Gwen who I consider to be my _real_ friend. Arya always acted like she was a career pack leader and we were some hopeless 12 year olds she'd taken under her wing. It infuriated me. Gwen on the other hand was more cool and collected and even though we shared that trait it was and is more prominent in her so she just does what she can to stay away from Arya and comments little, but is still polite when conversing with her.

"Hi" she greets me as I join them on the structure lying back on a long sturdy pole that spans the middle. From my high perch I can see the whole training center. The sound of kids grunting and yelling echoes through district 2 as regularly as the miner's voices, but when you can _see_ the children it congers up very different emotions; fear, nervousness, but mostly excitement and a feeling of belonging, for me anyway. I doubt most people feel belonging. Seeing others running, jumping, and fighting just seems right to me. I've done it all my life, so the way their body moves seems familiar and a can very easily move my mind in to their body. I recognize the flaws and the perfections, the overly hesitant and the too willing. Even just looking at their stance reveals their way of fighting. We're taught all of it.

I notice that I have temporarily lost connection with the real word and Arya is trying to tell me something. Her commanding voice enters my mind I know from my many years of training with her this means she's saying something important.

"-so since I'm 18 I've decided that today I will volunteer as tribute." Gwen gasps but I bite my lip and will myself to block out her protest. Since I missed the beginning of her statement I'm not 100% sure of her reasons but they don't matter. Even if I crush her dreams doing it Arya wont go to the Games. I will.

I pull on my messy bun resentfully. I wish that my mom hadn't made me do my hair. It seems sinful and unnecessary to me but all I can do is try and make it a _really_ messy bun. My dress isn't as bad. It's an aqua blue like my eyes and stops before my knees so that the others can see that not only am I muscular in the arms, which is easy to achieve, but muscular in the legs. A task that can take years of specialized training for quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and others. When it seems I can no longer bear the wait of the speech, Pea Entry, the capitol escort with pea green skin and hair is pulling the name and is just about to read it when I yell

"I volunteer as tribute!" I catch Arya glaring at me with utmost hatred but the little feeling of regret I have is wiped away when I see my parents expression. For the first time in 14 long years they are giving me a smile. A smile that has a glow. A smile that is radiant with a single pure emotion. A smile that tells me they are proud.


	5. Reaping: Amadashy 'Maddie' De Mare

**District 4**

Female: Amadashy 'Maddie' De Mare

I take a lunge at my opponent but his muscular arm easily side steps it and gives me a brutal, forceful shove. I fall flat on my back and feel pain shoot through my whole body as the wind is knock out of me. My eyes shut as I attempt to block the agony but to no avail. When I can bear a glimpse at the world once more the colors of sunrise reflect off the ocean and make the normally brown sand seem almost pink. I take this in for a second before remembering that a can't do that in training even though it's all a want to do with my joints aching like they do, but I still turn my head and look at the hunky boy who is silhouetted by the sun

"Good job!" I tell him forcing a weak smile on to my face. He only grunts and informs me

"You were too hesitant, next time don't hold back."

"I don't want to hurt you and-" a begin but he cuts me off

"When you're in the games, not wanting to hurt people isn't going to help you!" He's spitting in my face now and even though I know he's right a can't let him leave without a comeback so I mutter

"That's different" he just turns away in disgust and walks away. I want to call him back, to apologize, but I have a feeling that one of the Capitol's demented fish-mutts would have to swim out of the water for him to even gaze back, so I watch him for a few more paces before deciding that his temporary absence gives me the freedom I desired just seconds ago. I turn my gaze back towards the rising sun, and turn my thoughts to makeovers, one of the few things my parents let me do besides training. Makeovers are one of the few things that made me truly feel as confident as the other girls, and let me take the "I'm confident" smile away and show my real smile, it is practically identical, I've hade a lot of practice showing fake emotions. I loved using ocean colors and would rather give everyone in Panem a mermaid look, complete with tail and all, and then do what I must today. Thoughts of the reaping churn my stomach as I realize that its time to get ready and I push myself on to my feet and head up sea worn stairs that lead to the market of district 4 that blocks the way between the beach and my home. The whole place smells like fish and other sea foods, but even though its been that way my whole life, even someone who lives in the Capitol would expect it. The Capitol uses the 12 districts as tools and District 4 is fish, so that's practically all we ever eat besides our salty seaweed bread. I run my hands through my dark brown hair as I pass a group of girls my age. I'm not bullied but I don't have any friends either. All the other teens are in love with fighting and the thought of being a career, while I find the idea of the games barbaric. Actually, I think the whole Capitol is like a bunch of animals, who _enjoy_ taking children and watching them try to brutally murder each other. I will soon be one of them, but I try and ignore that and enjoy my last few minutes of freedom.

I enter my small cottage and can hear my parents fighting, but try to ignore them and instead go to the living room where I find my younger brother Nuka who I think isn't the cutest person on the planet but the cutest _thing. _Like me he is Native American and has dark brown luminous eyes, but other than that we are nothing alike. I have wavy hair with a side part and a slim athletic stature, but he is small and plump with hair that looks like the rolling ocean it's so curly,

" Hi Maddie," he says, a bright smile lighting up his face. I'm not surprised to see this smile. Nuka is such a peace loving, sweet little boy it would be a crime to ruin his ignorance of the games. He knows what they are, but doesn't know I will be going.

"Nuka I kneed to tell you something" I start. "So today's the reaping day and this is my last year" the smile starts nervously to fade from his face, "so Dad decided that I should volunteer." For a second he shows no emotion but pure shock, then tears start filling his eyes and roll down his baby face.

"You can't volunteer. You _can't_!" I give him a small smile, but not knowing what to say I let my eyes find the floor and begin fiddling with my hair. After a while I look up and find that he hasn't moved a millimeter. I want to help him and feel like might die if I don't. _You might die anyway,_ I remind myself. Eventually I leave him sobbing in a corner. It make me feel like all the tears he is crying are collecting in my stomach and are slowly filling my entire body, but I have more of a bubbly personality and feel uncomfortable trying to help people. It's almost as the looming expectation of becoming a murderer, but with that I can't just walk away.

I step outside of my cottage. The fresh sea is welcoming and makes me feel free, but then I look down a little and notice my boyfriend Alexander, or as I prefer to call him Xander, waiting there with a bouquet of roses in his arms

" Hey Maddie" he greets me as a slight blush takes over his face. I instantly feel the regret lift off my shoulders as it's replaced with the warmth I always feel when being around him. He's the only person that really knows me. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the cliffs for a picnic because…er…" he's losing his train of though like he always does, he's not very social but I spare him the embarrassment

"I'd love to go to the beach," I say. For the first time today the smile I show is real. Soon we're sitting in both of our favored spot. It's a tall cliff that overlooks the beach. It's covered in green grass and some flowers I've never found out the name of, but are a beautiful pink that I fell in love with the first time I saw them. Even though it's already one of the best places I could imagine, what I love about it most is the wall of pine trees, the only ones in the district, that protect it from prying eyes and the everlasting threat of the reaping that has nearly arrived. Suddenly I realize, Xander doesn't know about my plans to volunteer, but after the disaster telling my brother I decide to keep it from him, ever though it will make the goodbyes even more painful.

"It sure is beautiful," I sigh gazing at the ocean. I don't bother telling Xander that I mean the ocean, he knows me so well its like he can read my mind.

"Not as beautiful as you" he suddenly says and I feel a blush spread across my face as I let my eyes wander to my silky orange gown, which is a timid sunset orange. It's nearly identical to the soft sky.

"It's missing something though" he stops to ponder, then his face lights up and he reaches down to the bouquet and unravels the ribbon that holds them in place. "Turn around" he commands and I obediently obey. He begins braiding my hair with the ribbon in a way that it wraps around my right shoulder and falls down my front. His light hand brush my neck in a way that is somewhat ticklish but strangely pleasant, like a gentle breeze caressing me and flowing through my hair in an almost magical way. I gaze up at the sun as I wish that this moment could never end.

It did end. Before I know it I'm standing in the square and wishing that I could have just one more day of freedom, one more day before I enter the games that I am sure will leave me dead. The escort is as enthusiastic as usual and soon is skipping on her bright pink heels to the intimidating glass ball. I find it strange that of all the things to think now the fact that my name is in there 7 times crosses my mind and I ponder _I should have gotten a whole bunch of tessera, then maybe I could have been reaped and wouldn't be able to volunteer. _But I know that "what ifs…" won't help me now. I glaze back at my brother and his still tear-stained face and for a moment consider what could happen if I didn't volunteer, but then my eyes wander upward and land on my father's brutal, black eyes and I know that's not a option.

"Any volunteers?" the escort asks. Her head tilting to the side a little in amusement gives away the fact that she knows there's going to be one. I take a deep breath and step out on to the pathway in a false confident voice say,

"I volunteer as tribute!"


	6. Reaping: Faye Woodenson

**District 10**

Female: Faye Woodenson

"What a feast!" My brother Jonah exclaims sarcastically. "Would you not agree Faye dear?" I snort at his sudden transition to a Capitol accent "Yes, and its all thanks to this years…" I pause waiting for him to get it then we join in a high-pitched mocking voice "14th annual Hunger Games!" We burst out laughing but silence ourselves when our dad gives use his famous dirty look. Why is it so famous you ask? Because even an idiot could see through it, when he wanted to seem harsh he always looked like a sad pig, but we knew what he meant. "Dad, look at this." I gesture at the half slice of stale bread and two squares of chicken the Capitol had given us. When mom died Dad became like a puppet for the Capitol, doing what ever they wanted. The food was a reward for good behavior that we get every year on reaping day, like a treat given to a dog for doing his trick. I don't know whom it disgusted more, my brother or me. We both hate the Capitol, something we had inherited from our mom, and unlike Dad we rebelled more when they killed her, for shooting her in the town square. "_That was 5 years ago_" I think to myself "I_ was only 12, but I can still remember the silent tears rolling down my face that evolved into ear piercing wail, I still remember the fresh blood that splattered on to my face._" Then I realize I've drifted off into my own thoughts and that my dad is trying to tell me something.

"Faye go to your room and get dressed, you have a hour." I would have thank him for distracting me, dwelling on the microscopic chance I have of being reaped is much better then swimming in that pool of haunting memories but he didn't have to be so bitter and indifferent.

"_He's your family"_ I remind myself, push my self out of my chair and headed for my room to find a long pale green dress accompanied by black flats. "Not bad." I mutter when something dawns on me. This was my mother's old wedding dress! I'd seen it in the pictures Dad use to stare at, but I just assumed he had thrown it out. Getting over the shock I slipped the silky fabric over my head and pushed my feet into my flats. Suddenly I felt my eyes tear up. "It even smells like the drops of lavender oil my mom would put behind her ears for special occasions. I quickly blink back me tears. "_This isn't like you!"_ I scold myself; I would not let the Capitol make me cry. I walked up to my broken mirror and start to run my hands through the thick, red curls.

About 5 minutes later I am back in the dinning room with my hair in a bun and my face covered in makeup Dad makes me wear. I found a note on the table telling me that Jonah and Dad were getting food to celebrate if I wasn't reaped and to go pick up Yvette my best friend, only friend. I leave the house as soon as possible, eager to see her.

As I headed to her house (in the denser part of the city) the sound of cattle could still be heard. Yvette owns one of the few candy shops in district 10 and it almost made enough to support her whole family. I turned the corner on to her street and see 5 girls standing there all dolled up and leaning casually against a building. I began to walk faster when one of them calls out.

"Hey Faye!" I just sped up not wanting to cause trouble, but they were persistent. One of them cut me off just as I was about to enter Yvette's lot.

"Hi Faye" she greets me with a sassy devilish grin.

"Zoe" I spit. Zoe was the Mayor's daughter and probably the most girlie, spoiled devil in all of Panem. She glanced down at my dress and made a face "What is that?!" she sneered and I couldn't help but let out a short laugh. Compared to her dress mine was elegant and humble. She was wearing a bright pink sweetheart dress with a turquoise fuzzy belt that had a heart fastener. Her hair was sprayed and curled and reminded me of a dieing Christmas tree because of the bright colors dotting the pile of stiff brown hair. I am just about to say a few choice words and speak my mind when I hear a soft chiming and Yvette stepped out of the candy shop." Hey" I say with relief and looked her up and down. Her outfit is practically identical to mine but her dress was magenta and her wavy brown hair cascaded down her shoulders. Her side bangs hide one if her soft green eyes, making her look much younger.

"Hi" she greets me, sounding much more shy then usual which puzzled me because we have been friends for a long time. We have no reason to feel uncomfortable and I was about to question her when I remembered that she wasn't nonchalant about the reaping like me. She is scared out of her wits. She had other people though, others who she cares about besides just me. Even Zoe and her gang tried to keep on good terms with her and scamper away before they could be seen. For me it was different though, the only ones I cared about are her, and me I had a hard time making friends.

Soon we where at the reaping, stuffed into a pen with the other 17 year olds. A tall and skinny woman with powder covering her whole face stepped up on to the stage to begin the presentation. I allowed myself to zone out as she talked about all the unimportant things I hear every year, but focus as soon as a hear the traditional

"Ladies First!" I hold my breath in anticipation as she unfolds the paper and reads …"Faye Woodenson"


	7. Reaping: Angus Burnet

**District 12**

Male: Angus Burent

I reach down and straighten the collar on Ash's wrinkled button down shirt. I give him a reassuring smile, which of course was a mask while thinking how strange it is that his clothes made him look younger and not older, like a small child playing dress up with his fathers old work outfits.

He looks up at me with his dark Chocolate colored eyes, nothing like mine which bright blue with specks of gold and green.

"I'm scared Angus…" . Of course he was scared, everyone was scared on there first reaping, but I couldn't say that to him so instead I ruffled his dirty blond, tangled hair and say, "Don't worry about it buddy, your names only in there once." Again the false smile.

I took a step back and looked him up and down "You look better then me!" at least that wasn't a lie. My black pants, stained by mud and ash from the mines and plain, grey long sleeve didn't look half as good as his cute, charming and classic ensemble. The only thing that looked good on me was that my curly, messy hair was jelled back while his remained tousled and plain and un-styled.

I suppose I could be considered lucky that on my 6th year as a possible contestant for the hunger games my name was only in there 18 times but the reason behind that had scarred me for life. When I was 11 my parents who where very anti-capitol tried to start a rebellion in district 12. Their bodies are still in a prison cell but most likely 90% ash now.

I had to watch Snow light them on fire. He did it so casually you'd think he does it everyday. Now I only have Ash to take care of which means I only needed 2 tessera when I was 12. Since I took him under my wing (after my parents died) I've started to feel more and more like his father and even though he still lives with his real family I won't let him take any tessera. I had been taking care of him since he was 6 because his parents were old family friend. I looked up at the clock that read 1:00 and decided to head out to the woods for a while.

"Ash why don't you do something about your hair, I'll be back in 15 minutes." He gave me a short little nod and I head out the door.

The woods were quiet and strange. They always got this way on reaping day when the capitol hovercrafts pass over to deliver extra peacekeepers. I continue walking until I reached the old tree that my father used to store my sword. I peeled down the bark to find the rusty weapon covered in leaves and sticks. I picked it up and allow the familiar weight fall gently in to my grasp. Suddenly I shifted my footing into a fighting stance and will the blade to whistle through the air, then with a loud thud the metal indents a tree. I strike it again and again taking out all my anger towards the capitol. I do it now so when its reaping time I can tell myself that it's because I did this that I'm not rebelling, and not the fear that manifested in me when Snow held that match to my sisters face.

I hug Ash and mutter in his ear, "It's going to be ok" before we head in separate directions to our assigned section. I gaze back at him momentarily regretting that I could do nothing to protect him here. The presentation goes by in a blur and I don't even now who the female tribute is, but when its time to chose a male every this seems to go half as fast as usual. The elegant fingers that reach down in to which glass ball haunt me every year seem twice as menacing now that Ash is eligible to be reaped. I hold my breath as the paper is unfolded and a clear voice reads, "Ash Mcole".

I nearly faint. I must have heard wrong. She must have read wrong. This is all wrong! My pulse quickens as I realize what I must do. I step out of the 17 year olds section in what I hope seems like a calm and collected demeanor and announce, "I volunteer as tribute!"


End file.
